The European Union is set to review its trade and cooperation agreements with Israel due to ongoing concerns over human rights violations related to the conflict in Gaza. This decision follows the support of 17 out of 27 EU foreign ministers and aims to assess if Israel is breaching Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which emphasizes respect for human rights.
EU foreign representative Kaja Karas announced the initiation of this review, stating Israel must increase humanitarian assistance. Israel’s Foreign Ministry rejected the EU’s premise, claiming its actions are defensive against Hamas and criticizing the EU for not acknowledging Israel’s acceptance of various ceasefire proposals.
The EU is Israel’s largest trading partner, with trade valued at over €45 billion annually. There is a growing call amongst EU nations for stronger measures against Israel, including sanctions against those responsible for violence in the West Bank. The situation reflects a deeply divided stance within the EU regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, influenced by recent events and humanitarian concerns.
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